Author's Note [1]: Does not own Naruto.
Tears: 9
Naruto sniggered as he jogged towards Sasuke's office. He dubbed it the Secret Room, where Sasuke kept all his workload, and no one was allowed to just walk in when he was not home. Not even Naruto was allowed. Not that Naruto wanted to. He had only went in once – when he just came home, and had made up his mind already that he will never ever enter that room ever again in his entire lifetime. It was just too stuffy for his liking, what with all the red, flaring carpets and shelves – it was all way too fiery and expensive for his taste.
However, as of the moment, Naruto's mind was not on this issue. His mind was working out a last minute plan on how to get both of them down, and hoping hard that the head chef was willing to do as he had requested. As he strode purposefully down the hallway, various things ran through his active mind. Maybe they should have some games? Iruka and the others will have to join in too, otherwise it would be too dull. And they should probably have music, so he might have to bring down the radio and see if they can blast it. He could use the games that the children at the orphanage had played. A tad childish, but still, what is wrong with bringing out the child in everyone?
He was bursting with happiness at how everything had been going on so well today – the old man's acceptance, the celebration at the orphanage, and now Karin-chan's party – it will be the happiest day ever! He skidded to a stop in front of the Secret Room, grinning happily. The door seemed so light under his touch.
[.]
Uchiha Sasuke's lips were as addictive as she remembered it to be.
For a moment, the stoic corporate leader was stunned into silence, feeling yet again another set of lips aside from that of Naruto's on his. Then anger tuned him back. His arms were already gripping harshly on Karin's forearm, ready to push her away – or push himself away – he is not even sure anymore what he wanted to do, but all his focused mind knew was that he wanted away – as far away as possible.
Until he saw a golden head from the open door of his office, and his fingers froze with ferocity. His grip on Karin tightened so hard in his panic that she cried out, and he knew immediately how badly things looked to Naruto.
For there was no need to ask – in the position that they were in – Sasuke knew that the hand he had on Karin could be interpreted as several things, and in Naruto's simple mind, it probably looked as if he was pulling Karin nearer. He knew – he knew, and yet as he slowly looked up to see Karin turning her head around to look at Naruto, his fingers, frozen with fear, would not listen to him and let go.
But even in the haze of dread, Sasuke could see the greater depth of fright that was brewing in his love's heart. Naruto remembered nothing beyond Sasuke, and to be ripped off from the lifeline that he thought he had safely in his grasp…
"Ah…ah ha ha ha…"
"Naruto, it's - "
"I'm sorry! I didn't know that I was interrupting! I should have knocked!"
His words were so fast that they knocked into each other like domino blocks falling over one another, until everything lay flat on the ground in a perfectly arranged shape.
"Naruto."
The fear in Sasuke doubled when he heard Karin, the woman finally able to straighten up from his grasp on her even as he sat lax in his seat.
Karin herself was astonished to hear herself speak. She was even more flabbergasted when she found the courage to stare back defiantly into the expressive blue oceans. All she felt was how she seemed to be floating in the clouds – unsure of her feet upon the ground. Her fingers felt numb, like it had been immersed in ice over time, and even her mouth felt dry. But her sight – suddenly blurry – zeroed in immediately on her patient.
The blotch of sunshine standing at the open door was shimmering like some desert-like image, but she was very aware of it, despite her detachment to the circumstance. And despite the mirage-like image, Naruto's cerulean blue eyes stood out beyond belief, emotions etched out for all to see.
The window to his soul.
"Naruto, Sasuke does not need a guy," she said, her lips moving mechanically – absolutely certain of what she was saying because she had this practised out again and again, and yet some kind of pain was blinding her, "He needs a woman. You should understand. Better than anyone."
And still the only thing about Naruto that stood out then were his blue eyes and his voice. The cerulean oceans blinked once, eerily unresponsive.
"Yeah. Sure. You guys have fun - "
"Naruto, listen to me!" Sasuke was already getting out of his seat, tremor of fright in his normally flat voice.
"By the way, there's - "
"Naruto! Dobe!" Sasuke was staggering beside her. Tilting her head towards Sasuke, she saw how wild his dark eyes were.
" - a farewell party for Karin-chan downstairs."
Karin felt so out of the world. Nothing registered in her memory, and yet everything did, as if memorising it for later scrutiny. Like how someone without Internet access would save down all the documents that they think they needed at an Internet centre, so that they can analyse it at home in comfort. She somewhat remembered Sasuke running after Naruto, and then later, as she sat motionless in the chair, him crying and railing at her for her stupidity.
But it was strange how she could only think of one thing. She could always only think of one thing at a time. It was like…her mind was too confined to be able to accommodate more than one emotion or thought. Like a pixie. Like Tinkerbell, Peter Pan's fairy. Too small to be able to feel more than one feelings at a time.
Geez…what a pity…Naruto's farewell party for me didn't seem to go too well, did it?
And never once did she suspect the fact that she had been crying the whole time.
[.]
Naruto paid the cab driver. Faintly, at the back of his mind, he thought he was really lucky. It was lucky that he did not heed Iruka's advice to change first, or else he would not have had his wallet with him when he ran out. And he was lucky to be able to flag down a cab when he needed it. He was…just lucky.
Standing in the cold rain, he continued his erratic muse on how lucky he was to have had the knack to tell the cab driver to drop him in front of the orphanage.
Suddenly, he missed Hikaru and all the other kids.
[.]
"Tsunade, is Naruto with you?"
No. Why? What happened?
"Nothing. If Naruto calls you or finds you, please contact me. Is that possible?"
Brat, what happened?
"Please."
Pause.
Fine.
"Thank you."
[.]
"Sakura, is Naruto with you? Did he contact you?"
Um…no.
"Contact me if he calls or meets you, okay?"
Uh…okay. Sasuke-ku - "
"Thank you."
[.]
"Shizune-san, is Naruto with you?"
No. Tsunade-sama has already informed me. I'll contact you if he comes over or calls me.
"Thank you so much."
But that did not give much relief to the Uchiha. There were not many people that Sasuke thought the blond knew. But then again…Naruto's circle of interaction would have expanded ever since he worked, and Sasuke had been kept in the dark. And speaking of his work…would he have gone to the social workers' organization headquarters?
Sasuke ran out to his car.
[.]
"Naruto-kun," Koyuki passed a mug of warm milk to the blond who had finally changed into a set of dry clothes borrowed from the orphanage. He sat on the couch in the small living room, cheeks slightly flushed as he smiled up at the female manager. Nodding his head gratefully, Naruto accepted the mug and sipped at the liquid.
A look at the Goofy digital clock on the wall indicated that it was already eight forty nine.
"Koyuki-chan…I've never asked – do you know a Sasuke by any chance?"
He raised a blond brow when Koyuki laughed and took a seat beside him. The mug that he clutched in his hands was beginning to return sensations to his cold fingers, but seemed to be draining his consciousness away from him at the same time. He felt the beginnings of a headache dawning on him in little flickers of lights.
"You mean your Sasuke?"
Naruto snorted. So they did knew each other from before. But he was desperate.
"Please don't throw me out."
Koyuki blinked, understanding it all without needing any information. Not the minor, specific details, but she knew enough to know that Naruto did not need to be betrayed. Her time as an orphanage manager had taught her that much. She nodded.
"Not unless necessary."
Naruto finally found the peace that he needed to close his eyes and rest.
"I seriously hope that you will not find it necessary. I'll do anything you ask – wash the toilets, bathrooms – anything you ask. Thank you, Koyuki-chan. I'll take the couch. I hope I'm not too much of a trouble."
Koyuki smiled and shook her head. The last thing she thought of Naruto as she brought out the blankets and covered the sleeping blond with it was how flushed his cheeks were.
[.]
The entire Uchiha household was silent. Iruka was up the whole night, waiting for his masters to return. Any one of them. But he wished hard that it would be Naruto-sama. Naruto did not. Not even after Sasuke-sama came back from his trip to the headquarters, dejected.
"Iruka…his fucking phone is off. The security at the headquarters would not let me go in. Pein-bastard is not available…he's overseas as of the moment, and no one else has the right to open Naruto's file because Naruto is directly under Pein. Where else should I go?"
Iruka did not know what to say as he stood beside his drunken raven master at the dining hall.
Author's Note [2]:
Again, thanks to all whom have reviewed. It gladdens me to know that this is still being read, and my apologies at such tardy updatings. Still, we're pretty much nearing the end now; just to give you guys a head's up. Happy New Year, people!
EDIT: Much thanks to counter-intuitive who pointed out a seriously major loophole. I've gotten it corrected now, so hopefully it's okay now. Thanks again!
